Arda Güler's response to Xabi Alonso's trust: He shone in his first match!
Arda Güler drew attention with his performance in his new position during Real Madrid's match against Al Hilal.
12punto
Real Madrid drew 1-1 with Al Hilal in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, marking the first official match under the management of Xabi Alonso. In the encounter held at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Arda Güler came on in the second half and stood out with his performance.
Starting the match on the bench, Arda entered the pitch at the beginning of the second half, replacing Raul Asencio. While there was curiosity about which position Xabi Alonso would use Arda in, the Spanish manager played the young player in midfield, in the number 8 position. With this change, Tchouameni moved to the center-back position, while Federico Valverde took on the role of the number 6.
It was observed that Real Madrid played a more fluid game and was more effective in the opponent's half following Arda Güler's entry. Taking on this role following the retirement of Toni Kroos, Arda entered the penalty area more frequently and attempted long-range shots.
Remaining on the pitch for 45 minutes throughout the match, Arda touched the ball 56 times and completed 32 of his 39 passes accurately. Achieving an 82 percent pass success rate, the young player took 3 shots, provided 3 key passes, and won 2 duels. Additionally, he made a significant contribution to his team by winning the ball 4 times.